and labour againft. Nor was St. Austin so little acquainted with the power of the gofpel, and of the Spirit, as not to be well enough affured that man might be habitually good, and that fuch were influenced and acted by a firm faith, and a fervent love, and well-grounded hope. The dif pute between them then, concerning Perfection, did not confift in this, whether men might be habitually good? This was in reality acknowledged on both fides: nor, whether the beft men were fubject to defects? For this too both fides could not but be fenfible of: but in these two things efpecially; First, What was to be attributed to grace, what to nature? and this relates not to the definition or effence of Perfection, but to the fource and origin of it. Secondly, Whether those irregular motions, defects, and errors, to which the best men were fubject, were to be accounted fins, or not? neither the one fide nor the other then, as far as I can difcern, did in truth mistake the nature of buman Perfection: each placed it in habitual righteousness; the one contended for no more, nor did the other contend for less, in the perfect man. And when the one afferted him free from fin, he did not affert him free from defects: And while the other would not allow the best man to be without fin, they did not by fin under

ftand

ftand any thing elfe, but fuch diforders, oppofitions to, or deviations from the law of God, as the Pelagian himfelf muft needs own to be in the perfect man. The difpute then was not, what man might or might not attain to? for both fides agreed him capable of the fame habitual righteoufnefs; both fides allowed him fubject to the fame frailties: but one fide would have these frailties accounted fins, and the other would not.

Numerous indeed have been the controverfies between the popish and reformed churches, about precept and counsel, mortal and venial fin, the poffibility of fulfilling the law of God, the merit of good works, and fuch like. But after all, if we enquire what that height of virtue is to which the beft of men may arrive; what thofe frailties and infirmities are, to which they are fubject; 'twere, I think, eafy to fhew, that the wife and good are on all hands agreed about this. Nor does it much concern my prefent purpofe, in what sense, or on what account Papifts think fome fins venial, and Proteftants deny them to be fo; fince neither the one nor the other exempt the perfect man from infirmities, nor affert any other height of Perfection, than what confifts in a confummate and well-established habit of virtue. Some men may, and do talk very extravagantly; C 2

but

t

but it is very hard to imagine that fober and pious men fhould run in with them. Such, when they talk of fulfilling the law of God, and keeping his commandments, muft furely understand this of the law of God in a gracious and equitable sense: And this is no more than what the fcripture afferts of every fincere Chriftian. When they talk of I know not what tranfcendent Perfection in monkery, they must furely mean nothing more, than that poverty, chastity, and obedience, are heroick inftances of faith and love, of poverty of fpirit, and purity of heart; and that an Af cetick difcipline is the most compendious and effectual way to a confummate habit of righteousness. Finally, By the diftinction of precept and counfel, fuch can never intend furely more than this, that we are obliged to fome things under pain of damnation; to others, by the hopes of greater degrees of glory: for 'tis not eafy for me to comprehend, that any man, whofe judgment is not enflaved to the dictates of his party, fhould deny either of these two truths. 1. That whatever is neither forbidden nor commanded by any law of God, is indifferent. 2. That no man can do more than love the Lord his God with all his heart, with all his foul, and with all his might, and his neighbour as himself. I fay, there is no degree or inftance of obedience, that

is

jubentur,

is not compriz'd within the latitude and perfection of thefe words. But whatever fome of the Church of Rome, or it may be the greater part of it may think; this, 'tis plain, was the fenfe of the ancients. St. Auftin (a) could never understand any (a) Qua. merit or excellence in thofe things that cung non were matter of counfel, not precept, unless fed fpeciathey flowed from, and had regard to the li confilio love of God and our neighbour. And Caffian's (b) excellent Monks refolved all fiunt, cum the value of fuch things to confift in their referuntur ad diligentendency to promote apoftolical purity and dum Deum, charity. And Gregory Nazianzen (c) ) & proxithought it very extravagant, to pretend to ter Deum, be perfecter than the rule, and exacter than Aug.Ench. the law.

monentur,

tum rele

نوع

mum prop

cap. 121. (b) Ac proand inde ca

litates fa

mus, &

The Quakers have made much noife ftir about the doctrine of Perfection, and quibus quahave reflected very feverely on others, as tutas videfubverting the great defign of our redemption (which is deliverance from fin) and temporas upholding the kingdom of darkness: but obfervata with what justice, will eafily appear when fanctifi I have reprefented their fenfe, which I cant, ut will do very impartially, and in as few pulluant,

C 3

&

quæ fie

missa non

and Media fe manifeftum

eft, ut pu ta nuptias, agriculturam, divitias, folitudinis remotionem, &c. Caffian. Colla. Patr. Talem igitur definitionem fupra Jejunii, &c. Nec in ipfo fpei noftra terminum defigamus, fed ut per ipfum ad furitatem cordis & apoftolicam charitatem pervenire poffimus; ibid.

(C) Μηδὲ τῶ νόμο νομιμότερος, μηδὲ λαμπρότερος τῷ Φωτός, μηδὲ τὰ κανόνα ευθύτερα, μηδὲς ἐντολῆς ὑψηλότερο. Greg. Nazian

Ec.

(d) A Key and plain words as I can. Mr. W. P. (d opening, tells us, That they are That they are fo far infallible ana perfect, as they are led by the Spirit. This is indeed true, but 'tis mere trifling: for this is an infallibility and perfection which no man denies, who believes in the Holy Ghost; fince whoever follows his guidance must be in the right, unless the Holy Ghost himself be in the wrong. He urges, 'tis true, a great number of fcriptures to fhew (they are his own words) that a state of Perfection from fin (tho' not in fulness of wisdom and glory) is attainable in this life; but this is too dark and fhort a hint to infer the fenfe of his par(e) Princi- ty from it. Mr. Ed. Burroughs (e) is more full: We believe (faith he) that the "faints upon earth may receive forgiveness of fins, and may be perfectly freed from the body of fin and death, and in Chrift may be perfect and without fin, and may have victory over all temptations, by faith in Fefus Chrift. And we believe every faint, that is called of God, ought to prefs after Perfection, and to overcome the devil and all his temptations upon earth: and we believe, they that faithfully wait for it, fhall obtain it, and shall be prefented without fin in the image of the father; and fuch walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit, and are in covenant with God, and their fins are blotted out, and remem

ples of

Truth, &c.

bered